Greatest Rugby World Cup XV: hooker profiles - Phil Kearns

In one of the liveliest rivalries in rugby history, Australia’s Phil Kearns
and New Zealand’s Sean Fitzpatrick never saw eye to eye. In terms of World
Cup winners’ medals, Kearns edges out his All Black counterpart with success
in both 1991 and 1999.

Phil the force: Australia's Phil Kearns had his career cut short by injuryPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

Tom Barclay

6:33PM BST 03 Aug 2011

However, Fitzpatrick is generally favoured as the better player with his mammoth 92 caps - including 51 Tests as captain - but Kearns’ supporters would argue the Australian was unlucky with injuries.

Indeed, Kearns’ career was cut short after the 1999 World Cup in Wales. Ironically, his fitness and mobility were two of his strongest characteristics, as he flourished during the era when rugby shifted from an amateur to a professional sport.

A leader of the pack, he was an accurate thrower in the line-out and a reliable force in the scrum.

The Sydney-born Economics graduate made his Wallaby debut in 1989 and it wasn’t long before sparks flew with Fitzpatrick during the many Australia-New Zealand clashes.

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Several incidents occurred where the pair exchanged words, including one confrontation when Fitzpatrick told Kearns to "Go home to your mummy".

Kearns had a glorious campaign at the 1991 World Cup, scoring in the group win over Argentina and playing his part in every game, including the narrow 19-18 quarter-final victory over Ireland and the final itself.

His role during the 1999 success was limited to just the group-stage opener against Romania, but Kearns nevertheless joined the handful of players who have successfully achieved a World Cup-winning double.